Broken and Beloved
by Uudam
Summary: After a car accident that killed her parents and robbed her all feeling and usefulness of her legs, Elsa is bound to a wheelchair. Trying to look after Anna and confronting problems in college, she feels broken in body and spirit. Jack might just be the one to lift her up, even if she could never walk again. Modern AU. Jelsa and Kristanna.
1. Meeting Elsa

**Photo cred goes to n-a-blue-box on Tumblr.**

**I briefly considered including other Disney and Dreamworks characters, but have decided not to. I want to focus on the Jelsa and Kristanna relationships. I'm also using real schools, for a more realistic setting.**

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**Broken and Beloved (1)  
****Meeting Elsa**

Jack Frost strolled out of the building, his tool box and drawing board in hand. He could still smell the fresh soap from his hands, spotless and washed clean after three hours of working with dusty charcoal and pastels. The funky smell of ArtGum erasers was gone, too.

The overcast sky, typical Philadelphia weather, didn't dampen his elated spirit.

'I got a lot done in class,' he thought proudly to himself. 'I think my midterm project's gonna be done soon. I'm calling it a day.' He fought back a yawn. 'Hitting a nap in my dorm sounds good right now. I hope North's still out...I can barely get any sleep with him around.'

To avoid the stream of students leaving class, Jack took a well-hidden shortcut and headed for the dorms. The art college he attended was very small and didn't have housing of its own. Students from his school had to share rooms with those from a bigger university.

Suddenly he heard a low, sinister voice. One that sent chills running down his spine. "Highest GPA in the class? Too bad you aren't mentally disabled."

Jack stopped in his tracks and whirled around. He couldn't see who said that, and it wasn't directed at him. But he really didn't like the sound of that. Curiosity overwhelmed his desire to head home. Jack weaved through the maze of pavements between the building complex. He craned his neck and peered through a fence to finally see where the voice was coming from.

A tall, shadowy horse confronted a strikingly beautiful young woman sitting in a wheelchair. Jack blinked hard and rubbed his eyes. Was he imagining things?

"Maybe if I struck you in the head, you'd have a useless brain to go along with those useless legs. You wouldn't even remember I hit you."

Jack stared on with disbelief. The horse _talked_.

The young woman's voice was soft and calm, but Jack could see she was doing her best to hide her fear. "I never tell anyone about my GPA. How did you know, Pitch?"

Jack furrowed his brow; she talked as if she had seen the horse before. Or knew it.

The horse curled its lip. "Everyone knows, anyway. All the professors adore you, and it makes me sick."

"Please leave me alone. I haven't done anything to you."

The horse loomed over her like a menacing shadow. "Oh, you've done things, all right. Just seeing you in class makes me want to hurt you."

"Go away. I'm not afraid."

"You're a poor liar. I see you trembling in your chair. You're afraid, and you know it. These Nightmares are an extension of my powers, and they feed off your fear. You'll never have proof that I've ever done anything to you. Quite frightening, isn't it?"

Then what happened next made Jack gape in pure horror. The horse reared and lashed its legs, throwing the young woman out of her chair to hit the concrete. She landed heavily on her back, the chair following suit to crush her lower body. She let out a terrible wail of pain.

That was it. Jack dropped everything and stormed over.

She curled on the ground, her limp legs splayed in odd angles as she sobbed and cried in agony.

The horse threw its head back and made a cruel laugh. "Why are you crying?" it taunted. "I thought you couldn't feel anything down there."

"_Hey!_" Jack shouted. "_What the hell are you doing?_ Leave her alone!"

Startled, the shadowy horse whipped around to see him. Its yellow eyes glowed with a malevolent gleam. "None of your business, boy. Better scram before you join her."

Jack's voice dripped with sarcasm and scorn. "You must think you're so tough...bullying and hurting a disabled person like that. You disgust me."

With a whipping flourish of his hand, Jack made his staff materialize in thin air. He brandished it with a threatening gesture. "Don't even think about messing with me. This staff packs quite a punch." To prove his point, he twirled it so fast in his hand that it seemed to whip the very air. "I'd love to whip your ass, but that would make me no better than you."

He wouldn't hesitate to protect the poor, fallen woman. But he'd rather not resort to his control of ice and snow. Only his close friends knew about his power, and he wasn't keen on making it public.

Jack lowered his voice to a growl. "Get the hell out of here. _Now_."

The Nightmare pawed the ground and lowered its head. Jack tensed, preparing for the worst. Then it backed away and vanished in a swirl of black wisps. Jack lowered his staff in surprise.

"Th-thank you..." The woman's pained whisper made him look down. Her clothes were stained with dirt and her blonde hair had fallen out of its tight bun. His heart went out for her. He quickly tucked his staff behind his back and made it vanish.

"Can you get back in your chair?" he asked.

She bit her lip. "I'll try."

Jack slipped her arm over his shoulder, and with his other arm he scooped her from the ground.

She began to breathe heavily as the pain showed no signs of subsiding. Her voice came out weak and tremoring with panic. "I don't think my medication will be enough. I need to go to the rehab clinic."

Jack was quick to reply. "I'll take you. My car isn't far from here."

His nap would have to wait. This young woman needed his help. He would have to be a complete heartless idiot to just leave her here.

Doubt flickered in her blue eyes, but it disappeared as she nodded. She felt uneasy about going into a stranger's car. But where else could she go?

Jack wheeled her through the maze of pavements, picking up his box and drawing board along the way. Trying to move as quickly and carefully as he could, Jack carried her from the wheelchair and into the passenger seat of his car. He strapped her in and dashed to his truck to stash both his school stuff and her folded wheelchair.

"What's your name? I'm Jack Frost."

"Elsa Arendal."

"Okay, Elsa...tell me where I need to go."

Jack punched in the letters and numbers of the address on the GPS as Elsa had instructed. He stepped on the gas as soon as their route was plotted.

Jack tried to take her mind off the pain as he drove. "So, um...where do you go to school? I'm a freshman at PAFA—Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Drawing major."

Elsa winced as the car drove over a road bump. "Junior at University of Pennsylvania. Architecture."

He whistled between his teeth. "Whoa. Ivy League, huh? You must be really smart."

"I'm all right," she replied modestly.

"No, you're brainy for sure. I'm not a straight-A student, but I fly by okay and I like what I'm doing."

Hearing Elsa mention architecture as her field of study intrigued him. He was going to ask her more, but she bit her lip and scrunched her eyes as another wave of pain came. A whimper escaped through her gritted teeth.

"We're almost there. You're gonna be fine, Elsa." He would've reached out to touch her shoulder if he wasn't in such a hurry to rush to the clinic. He never parked in a handicap spot before. He was grateful for its easy access and close proximity to the building. Then again, it was a rehab clinic—more than half of the parking lot was designated for handicaps.

"Get me Dr. Gerda," Elsa managed to say as he rushed her in.

He nodded. "Dr. Gerda. Got it."

Even after Jack checked at the counter, asked for Dr. Gerda and reserved an appointment for Elsa, his heart still pounded madly in his chest and he could barely breathe.

'I hope it isn't anything serious.' He remembered how fragile her legs looked. 'What if she broke something?' Cold dread washed over him.

He was dizzy with relief when Dr. Gerda, a slender and kind-looking middle-aged woman, came in to check on Elsa.

"I'm sorry, young man. I appreciate you bringing her here, but I must have you wait outside."

He nodded. "Of course. I understand." It didn't help put his anxiety at ease, though. He rocked in his chair at the waiting room, hoping fervently that Elsa would be okay. Jack's eyes scanned the room. Many people in his company were either in wheelchairs or had artificial limbs. None of them looked terribly strong. They all looked so vulnerable, just like Elsa. He realized that she was one of the few young patients in the clinic.

Meanwhile, Gerda shut the door to inspect Elsa. She asked her to relate the incident, particularly how she fell. Elsa suppressed a shiver as she tried to recall every detail. She didn't mention the Nightmare or Jack's intervention. Then Gerda had her pull back her long skirt and lift her shirt to check for any injuries. Gerda had been her physician since she became a paraplegic. Elsa never felt uneasy around her.

The doctor tenderly prodded at Elsa's skin with outstretched hands and soft fingers, noting the mottled bruises on her slender, pale legs. Elsa's face pulled into a grimace as Gerda felt around her waist.

"How bad is the pain?"

"Fairly sharp," Elsa replied with a wince.

"You're very lucky, my dear," Dr. Gerda finally said. "You haven't broken any bones, but a fall like that could've easily resulted in some fractures."

A shuddering sigh of relief escaped through Elsa's lips.

"You have cuts on your arms, but bandages will do the job. The worst you have are bruises around your hip and tailbone areas. They'll need an ice pack over them for a while."

"I'll take care of that myself," Elsa said softly.

Gerda nodded, as if remembering what she meant. The doctor was one of very few people who knew about Elsa's unusual abilities.

"What do you suggest I do next?" Elsa asked as Dr. Gerda placed bandages on her arms.

"Keep up with the medications Dr. Kai had prescribed, first and foremost. Have you been taking them? Do they help?"

"Yes, very much."

"Good. Exercise your upper body regularly, but don't strain yourself. You can't feel the pain in your legs, so you'll have to often check by sight if you develop any infections or further bruising."

Elsa made a weary nod before resting her head on the top of the wheelchair. "Will do, Dr. Gerda." She felt thin ice spread throughout her wounds. It dampened the fabric of her clothes, but she didn't mind; they would dry eventually. With most of the pain gone, Elsa let an easy smile spread across her face. "I came here worried about broken bones. But with that not the case, I think I can go home now."

Dr. Gerda put a hand on her shoulder. "I suggest you stay here a little longer. Take it easy and get some rest, dear."

She was halfway through the door when Elsa spoke up on a whim. "Could you have Jack come in? I'd like some company."

Jack sprang to his feet as soon as Dr. Gerda walked into the waiting room and called him over. He came to see Elsa as fast as he could without looking too flustered and panicked.

"Hey, Elsa. What did she say? Are you gonna be all right?"

She stared down at her fists balled in her lap. "Yeah, I'll be fine. A couple of cuts and bruises...nothing serious."

She sat still, closed her eyes and let the ice work its cool, soothing effects on her wounds. She and Jack said nothing for a while. The room was quite cold, even colder than its usual chill. But neither of them minded it.

Jack was first to break the silence. "...Were you always in a wheelchair, Elsa?" And just as he said that, he mentally kicked himself. 'Idiot! You're not supposed to ask her something so personal! If she kicks me out of the room, I'm only getting what I deserve...'

Elsa opened her eyes, taking on a melancholic look rather than being offended. "No...I've been a paraplegic for three years now. I was eighteen when it happened. My family was invited to a wedding..." Her voice lowered to a whisper, soft and thick with sorrowful reminiscence. "It was dark and rainy outside. A drunk driver ran right into us. Whoever he was, he took the lives of my parents...and my ability to walk."

Elsa gripped the fabric of her skirt, balling it under her clammy hands. "The impact gave me a spinal cord injury. I was paralyzed from the waist down. Orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons...none of them could do anything about it. I lost a lot of blood. Most of my internal organs were a ruptured, bleeding mess. I fell into a coma that lasted weeks. And somehow...I still lived. I woke up to seeing Anna, the only family I had left. My younger sister. Eighteen years old now...same age as you, Jack. I protected her during the accident. I took most of the hit for her."

Elsa swallowed hard. "I...I'd rather live with useless legs for the rest of my life than see my sister killed."

Jack's heart wrenched. Elsa's story moved him to tears, and he didn't cry often. He dashed a hand across his eyes. "Elsa, I'm so sorry..." He thought of what she last said. "I know how you feel..."

Just last year, he nearly died saving his little sister from falling under thin ice. They had been ice skating, but the ice on the lake was particular thin that winter. Jack took the fall instead. Hypothermia and the freezing water almost claimed his life. As terrible and frightening as it was, Jack would much rather have it happen to him instead of his sister.

"It's fine, Jack..." Elsa murmured. "Losing my legs was hard. It still is. I can't remember what it feels like to run, or kick, or even touch the cold floor after waking up early in the morning. But I learn to live with what I have left. Anna, the rest of me that still worked..."

Part of her felt grateful to have Jack close by her side. She didn't open up like this very often, especially about something that still hurt her after three years.

Elsa's phone rang in her purse. She gasped and fumbled for her phone. "Speaking of Anna, I totally forgot. She picks me up from campus every day."

She brought the phone to her ear. In the small and quiet space of the room, Jack could hear Anna's frantic, worried voice through the speaker.

"Elsa! I'm glad you finally picked up. I tried to call you like four or five times. I left messages, but you still didn't answer. I'm here at Penn but I don't see you. Where did you go?"

Elsa swallowed hard. "Don't panic, Anna. I'm okay, but I'm at the rehabilitation clinic right now."

She held the phone away as Anna's voice went shrill with shock and panic. "What!? Elsa, what happened? Did you get hurt? How did you even get to the clinic if you can't drive?"

Elsa winced. "Ssh, not so loud, Anna. I...I fell. A friend offered to take me. Dr. Gerda's been seeing me and she says I'll be fine."

Elsa could hear Anna scrambling to turn on the ignition of her car. "Okay...I'm on my way."

"I'm sorry, Anna. I should've told you earlier."

"No, no, you don't have to apolo-You idiot! At least turn on your signal before you cut me, moron!"

A smile broke out on Elsa's face. "I think I should hang up now. Eyes on the road, Anna." She bit her lip to hold back laughter, despite the seriousness of recent events.

"Good idea. I'll see you, then. Hang tight, sis."

Elsa hung up and was quiet for a while.

"You didn't tell her what really happened," Jack said softly.

"I can't." Elsa shut her eyes from an incoming headache. She pressed a hand to her temple and ran fingers through her pale blonde hair. "You have to understand. I'm twenty-one years old...I'm supposed to be her legal guardian, but I've only been a burden. I can hardly get things done at home without her help. If she finds out about me getting attacked, I won't hear the end of it. She'd make me want to transfer to Drexel University with her, but I love where I'm at right now."

"Even if you go to school harassed by that...thing? It called itself Pitch, right?"

Elsa sighed. "That was not Pitch. Only an extension of his dark magic. He speaks through it, but he isn't actually there. He can summon an indefinite number of them, but Onyx seems to be his favorite." She shook her head and looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry…you must think I'm crazy."

"No, I totally believe you," he assured her. "I know what I saw. Tell me more."

Elsa gave Jack a grateful look, though he could sense the frustration in her too. "I don't know much about Pitch Black myself. Only that he shares a few classes with me. Somehow he uses shadows...Nightmares...to haunt and harass me without even laying a finger on me himself. I keep my mouth shut because no one would believe anything I say about him." Her fists tightened at the chair's armrests. "I just...try to bear with it."

"You should go to another school, then."

Elsa shook her head stubbornly. "I'll manage. When I make a commitment, I stick to it. Leaving Penn will only make Pitch think I'm weak _and_ a coward for running away." Looking down at her legs, she realized what she just said and made a bitter laugh. "No...I'm staying, no matter what. I've got one more year until I graduate, anyway." She pinned Jack with a steady, pleading gaze. "When Anna comes over, please don't tell her what really happened. Promise me that."

He relented. "Fine. I promise."

She was going to ask him a question when she hesitated and kept silent. Had it been just her imagination? She had been on the ground, hurt and crying, but she thought she had seen Jack wield a staff out of nowhere. Elsa pushed it to the back of her mind. It was a question for another time, another place.

The intensity of her eyes softened. "You went out of your way to rescue me and take me to the clinic...thank you so much, Jack. How can I ever repay you?"

He rubbed the back of his white hair sheepishly. "I don't need anything. I'm just really glad you're going to be okay." He reached out to touch her hand. He expected her to flinch or recoil like most people, since he always had cold hands. But to his surprise he found that her skin felt just as cool as his. And she didn't pull away. Surprise flashed across Elsa's face at first, but she welcomed his touch.

Then Jack smiled. "Well, there is one thing. How about we be friends?"

"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." Her lack of hesitation surprised her. Truth be told, Elsa had always been reluctant to socialize and make friends. This was by far the longest time she ever interacted with someone outside her family. But after everything he did for her, she knew she could trust Jack.

"Since our campuses are so close together, we can see each other again sometime, right?"

She smiled. "Yes, we could."

Then Anna burst into the room unannounced, startling Jack and Elsa. She passed a hand through her strawberry-blonde hair to straighten tousled locks. "I came here as fast as I could!" she exclaimed. "You sure you're all right?"

Elsa laughed in an attempt to put her sister at ease. "Everything's fine, now. Dr. Gerda said I just needed to rest a bit before I go home."

"Take as much time as you need, Elsa." She turned to Jack, her eyes wide and intrigued. "Is this the friend you were talking about?"

He extended his hand. "I'm Jack Frost. Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Anna, Elsa's younger sister. Pleased to meet you too!" Unlike Elsa, Anna's hand was quite warm as she heartily shook his hand. "Do you also go to Penn?"

"Me? Nah. I go to PAFA."

"Oh, the art school just around the corner. You're an artist, then. Elsa's an artist too! Except the stuff she does has a lot of math in it. It's something I'm not good at, unfortunately. You're looking at a sociology major!"

Jack grinned, both amused and a little overwhelmed by the way she talked. Anna was bright, chatty and energetic, the opposite of Elsa in many ways. Her face was generously dotted with freckles. Her cheeks were round from smiling a lot. She seemed like the kind of person to be all over the place. Elsa looked more like someone content with staying still and serene, even if she didn't have a wheelchair to confine her.

"Wow, your hair's so white," Anna said. Her eyes darted between Jack and her sister. "It's even whiter than Elsa's. You bleached it?"

"Yeah. You could say that." Of course, Jack wouldn't tell her how it really came to be that way.

They stayed for a few more minutes until they decided it was time to leave. Jack followed Anna as she wheeled Elsa out of the clinic. They parted ways in the parking lot.

"Thank you again, Jack," Elsa said. "I hope to see you soon."

"You're very welcome. Have a good night, you two."

The suite room was dark by the time Jack drove into campus. He unshouldered his stuff and crept in quietly; his roommates were likely asleep. He was about to go into his room when he heard loud grunting and bedsheets rustling.

"Oi, Jack...izzat you?"

"Hey, Bunny."

E. Aster Bunnymund, better known as Bunny, sat up from his bed and squinted as he flicked on the lights. A wily young man who grew up in Australia, Bunny sported wild hair dyed gray-blue and Aboriginal tribal tattoos all over his body. Like Jack, he too screamed art major.

Bunny stretched his long legs and patted his belly. "I was starving, so I had to eat dinner without you. Now I'm tryin' to sleep it off. Sorry, mate."

Jack waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Are North and Sandy in their room?"

"Yup. Sandy's dreamin' sweet dreams, as usual." Bunny's keen ears pricked, then he rolled his eyes. "And North's snoring loud enough to wake the whole bloomin' school."

"I heard that, Kangaroo." A gruff retort sounded from the other side.

Jack chuckled. "Hey, that's _my _name for him, North."

Like Bunny, North and Sandman were better known by their nicknames. They came into Jack and Bunny's room, sleepy-eyed yet curious.

North tousled Jack's hair affectionately. "Where were you, lad? You don't usually come home this late."

"Now you're sounding like my old man, old man."

North threw back his head and laughed. Unlike his college-age roommates, he was a man with much more years under his belt. He came to attend PAFA for a Master's degree after many years of backpacking and soul-searching around the globe. Underneath his craggy features, long beard and burly Russian physique, he had a young heart and a gentle soul.

Sandy smiled, but remained silent. He never spoke, but everyone respected his quiet and sage-like nature. He loved to daydream and create art from sand. It was only natural that he majored in sculpture as soon as he enrolled.

Bunny folded his tattoo-covered arms and eyed Jack curiously. "So, mate...are you gonna tell us what happened when you were away?"

Jack's eyes lit up as he thought of Elsa. She really left quite an impression on him. Her story, her beauty and enigmatic nature...He wouldn't be able to stop thinking of her for a long time.

"You're not gonna believe what kind of day I had."

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**More Jelsa goodness coming soon!**

**No, I did not misspell Arendelle. The kingdom's name is based on a real-life Norwegian town called Arendal.**

**PAFA and Penn really do have a partnership in academics and housing. I have a best friend at PAFA who shares a dorm with Penn graduates.**

**Last but certainly not least: This fic is dedicated to my friend who had been bullied for his physical disabilities. Thankfully he's ok now. But a few years ago, he actually went through what happened to Elsa in this story. A bunch of jerks had upturned his wheelchair and made him fall. He got a lot of bruises and almost broke his arm. I wasn't there when it happened. But he told me his experience, and I'll never forget. Stories like that are what really stick with you.**


	2. Keeping In Touch

******I usually update with the speed of a three-toed sloth (which is quite slow, unfortunately). But the favorites, follows and reviews I've been getting for Chapter 1 are very encouraging and motivating. **

******Special thanks to my first batch of reviewers: Krisedge, 007, Cornelia'Red, batfan94, WickedGreenPhantom, ajunebuga, Arialene, Guest, and Samanthathefun4. Thank you to everyone who favorited and followed as well!  
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**Broken and Beloved (2)****  
****Keeping In Touch**

Elsa worked late into the night as soon as she and Anna got home.

Both of them attended colleges not far from their house, so they commuted and saw no need to live in dorms.

Elsa's room was the epitome of expression without forsaking tidiness. Everything from her bed to the walls had varying shades of blue: her favorite color. Books for current pleasure reading on the nightstand was kept to her left, the wheelchair to her right. In addition to the shelves packed with books and magazines, Elsa had a number of small hand weights for casual exercise. Snowflake decorations of various forms and sizes adorned her shelves and walls, making her love for winter quite clear. Her room had no desk; she always did her schoolwork over an adjustable bed table. High on the shelves and almost out of sight were numerous figure skating awards. Bittersweet reminders of Elsa's endeavors before tragedy struck.

Elsa typed away on her laptop, working on the draft of her thesis paper. She ate from a cup of yogurt in slow spoonfuls as she pored over a thick book on Greek philosophy. Other books were spread open and littered all over her bed, some resting on her lap. Industrial design, applied physics, linear programming and art history were just a few things that filled her with passion and gave her preparation for a job.

Vivaldi's "Winter" played softly through her earbuds. She usually had her favorite song on repeat to give her inspiration while she worked. But Elsa couldn't make herself focus tonight. She muted the music on her phone, a worried frown tugging at the corners of her lips. Thoughts of Pitch, and how much bolder he had become in his attacks, greatly troubled her. A shiver ran down her spine. Most of it, anyway.

'How much longer can this go on? Will he stop at nothing to see me suffer? Will he finally stop once I break?'

She had to close her eyes and lean back against the copious amount of pillows propped in her bed. She took deep, slow breaths through her parted lips, immersing herself in comfort and trying to keep calm.

Ultimately, thinking of Jack helped her overcome the fear and anxiety taking root in her heart. Elsa smiled, remembering how quick and defensive he had been against the Nightmare. She never told anyone about Pitch, not even Anna. There was something undoubtedly intriguing about him…maybe even magical. It would be immensely gratifying to find that she and Pitch weren't the only "odd" ones out there.

"Elsa? You doing all right?"

Anna's voice brought her back. "Yeah, just busy as usual." Elsa leaned forward to type out a sentence she had left unfinished.

Anna came in with her pajamas, and a towel around her neck to dry her wet hair. She wished she had the discipline to keep her own floor as bare and spotless as Elsa's. Not that Elsa really had a choice in that, anyway. She'd have a hard time moving her chair through knick-knacks strewn all over the floor. Which was why Anna's room was practically off-limits to Elsa.

If she wanted to call Anna for anything she had to stay at the threshold, like standing behind yellow tape blocking a crime scene.

Anna gently massaged her sister's shoulders. "Had a rough day, huh?"

Elsa nodded, but didn't elaborate. She flashed Anna a little grateful smile.

Anna peered over Elsa's shoulder to look at she had been reading. "'Music of the Spheres?' What does that have to do with architecture?"

"It has a lot to do with it. You know Pythagoras?"

"Uh...he's the guy who came up with some rule about right triangles...?"

"Well, he came up with a lot of other theories too. The Music of the Spheres is one of them." Elsa paused to collect herself before explaining further: "It's a classical Greek concept that postulates an ancient model of the universe, attempting to explain the 'essence' of harmony and proportions. The heavenly bodies, or planets, are said to 'make music' when they revolve in perfect orbits and within perfect distance from each other. This idea applies to a lot of things: intervals in music, the golden ratio in math and art." A smile spread on Elsa's face. "I could go on and on about how it applies to the geometry and structure in architecture. I'm trying to write a paper on why conformity to order and beauty is important, especially in this age of postmodernism. Mentioning the Music of the Spheres is just one point in my argument."

Elsa looked up to see her sister's eyes glazed over in mixed awe and incomprehension. Anna ended her unofficial massage session with a fond pat on Elsa's back. "And that's why you're at Penn."

That made Elsa chuckle. Anna was far from stupid, but she wasn't the studious or bookish type like her sister. Anna made her way out of the bedroom, but not before kissing her sister goodnight and taking her finished cup of yogurt to throw away.

Anna turned at the door. "Get some sleep tonight, okay? It's getting late. The paper can wait, and I'm sure you'll ace it."

Elsa returned her fond smile. "Thanks. Good night, Anna." She closed her laptop and pulled the blankets up to her chin, but she did not turn off the light. For most people, darkness lulled them to sleep. But it only made Elsa think of Pitch, his power and his threats. She couldn't get any rest thinking of that. She didn't fear the dark itself, only what it represented. Since coming to college and on the day she met Pitch, he made it no secret what he could do to make her life a living nightmare.

She used to think that bullies were a thing of grade schools, high schools, but certainly not college. She had done nothing to justify Pitch's malice and envy. Why her? Why couldn't he just leave her alone? These questions frustrated her to no end, and often kept her up at night.

Pitch and his Nightmares pursued her even in her dreams. _Especially_ in her dreams. When she wasn't having terrible recollections of the accident, she ran through an endless tunnel in vain to escape the shadows that clawed at her. Her legs would always fail, becoming useless flesh that dragged her down.

Elsa thought she was going to drown in her own nightmare when a pair of strong arms pulled her up.

"Jack!" she gasped.

In the overwhelming blackness, and perhaps looking through eyes blurred with her tears, his white hair and gentle smile seemed to glow. "Come on, Elsa," he murmured. "You can do it."

She shook her head in despair. "No, I can't. They always get me. I can't outrun them."

"Don't worry. I'll carry you."

She felt safe in his arms, and Elsa slipped into a deep sleep surrounded by light rather than darkness.

* * *

No one had nodded off to sleep while Jack shared his story. Sandy in particular looked quite disturbed when Jack mentioned Pitch Black. But their squat, sand-haired friend quickly recovered and beckoned Jack to continue talking about Elsa.

When Jack finished, Bunny waggled an eyebrow. "You got her number, mate?"

The young man hesitated, then he flushed with embarrassment. "I...I totally forgot to ask her," he sputtered.

North chuckled. "No worries, lad...just talk to Tooth. She takes some classes at Penn. Maybe she can find Elsa for you."

Jack brightened. "Good idea."

Tooth was one of the few to take the coordinated Bachelor of Fine Arts program, which combined studio art training at PAFA with a liberal arts education at the University of Pennsylvania. There was a good chance that Tooth could run into Elsa somewhere on campus.

Jack stretched out on his bed and yawned. "I'm gonna call Tooth first thing in the morning. Maybe Elsa and I can go out for lunch. Get to know each other better."

He heard Bunny call out in a childish, singsong voice in the dark: "Ooooh, Jack's got a daaaate."

"…Can it, Kangaroo."

* * *

Few things were better than waking up to Anna's home-made breakfast in the morning.

Elsa heard the sizzling pan and Anna moving about in the kitchen. Her younger sister was singing while she cooked, probably something for Glee Club. Elsa wished she could help Anna make breakfast, but she and her chair would just get in the way. Elsa winced as she gripped the bedsheets and tried to sit up. The cuts on her arms still stung. Or was it the bandages? Dr. Gerda may have put them on to the point they were too tight and pulled on her skin.

Elsa pulled back the blankets to take a peek at her bare legs. Large purple bruises dotted her skin like blots of Chinese ink. But they looked the same as last time in the clinic. Elsa spread a hand over her calf, her palm brushing the top of a particularly large bruise. She tensed, then squeezed her leg as hard as she possibly could. Nothing. She felt absolutely nothing. It was strange, being cut off from pain below her waist.

Since Elsa started using a wheelchair, she and Anna never really ate at the dinner table anymore. Anna would bring her breakfast in bed and pull up a chair to keep her sister company.

Elsa stared at her plate, then back up at Anna with a small, crooked grin. "I think we're forgetting something..."

Anna's eyes flew wide as she remembered. "Oh, sorry. How could I forget? You always drink milk."

Just as Elsa had yogurt by night, she had milk by morning. She needed the calcium, especially when the bones in her legs were unused and weak. Anna rushed to the kitchen, and in half a minute returned with a glass of chocolate milk: mixed with a generous amount of chocolate syrup, just the way her sister liked it.

"Thanks," Elsa said. "Maybe you forget sometimes because you don't like milk."

Anna wrinkled her nose a little as she watched Elsa tip the cup to her lips. "How do you drink that cow juice every day? Even with syrup, the taste just doesn't do it for me."

Elsa shrugged. "It's good for you." She smiled at Anna saying 'cow juice.' Her younger sister had been sticking with that label since she was five. Some things never change.

Anna shook her head. "No tea and milk for me. Soda and coffee are what get me going."

"No wonder why you can never sit still," Elsa teased. "Make sure you drink plenty of water to cancel out all the sugar you're putting in your body."

"Okay, Dr. Elsa. You sure you still want to do architecture? With your brains and constant loving reminders, might as well get an MD while you're at it."

Elsa shook her head with a smile. "No medical school for me."

Within the subject of vague medical-related talk, Anna remembered Jack from the clinic last night. "That guy, Jack Frost...he's pretty cute, don't you think?"

Elsa heard the slyness in her sister's voice beneath poorly attempted nonchalance. She checked her watch. "I think we should get going."

"Avoiding the subject, are we?"

Elsa grinned and gently pushed away her sister's nudging elbow. "No really, Anna. We're almost running late."

"_Almost_, Elsa?" Anna laughed. "Don't get your panties all up in a bunch. We have time."

Anna always dropped Elsa off before driving to her own school. While Elsa had class in the morning, Anna didn't have class until noon. Considering the fact that Anna slept like the dead, Elsa admired her sister's discipline to get up in the morning to take care of her needs.

Unlike most college students, they never had problems with finding space in the parking lot. Elsa didn't have her own car, and Anna took full advantage of the handicap spots. After waving goodbye to her sister, Elsa wheeled herself over to her first class.

* * *

Jack had dreamed of Elsa that night. He felt he could just lose himself in the depth of her eyes, the soothing feel of her skin. She felt so warm...wait, what? Elsa, warm? That was not how he remembered her at all. His eyes fluttered open. The warmth came from sunlight streaming through his window. He jolted awake.

"Crap! I overslept!" Jack kicked back the blankets and grabbed his phone from the nightstand.

In his haste to get the phone he accidentally yanked out the charger. It fell to the wooden floor with a loud thump, making Bunny jerk in his bed and turn over on his side.

"I don't need no girls when I got carrots," he slurred in his sleep. "They're the best. Jus' the best. Y'know what I'm sayin', mate?"

Jack rolled his eyes. Bunny's painting class wasn't until later in the morning. Jack wasn't so lucky. He threw on his blue hoodie. His legs kicked in a little dance as he pulled brown pants over his boxers. He didn't stop to brush his messy hair; there was no need. Grabbing his backpack and art supplies, he practically flew out the door in a mad dash to get to class. While Jack ran he held the phone to his ear. He knew for sure he could get in touch with Tooth; she had an early class too. To his relief he heard her cheerful voice through the speaker. "Morning, Jack. What's up?"

"Hey Tooth. Could you do me a huge favor? There's this girl I met yesterday-"

"Ooooh, a girl?"

Jack laughed. "Stop it, Tooth. You sound like Bunny. Anyways…it's a long story. I'll tell you later. She goes to Penn, so I figured you could find her on campus. She majors in architecture; look around the liberal arts or science buildings, I guess. I forgot to get her number. Could you ask her for me?"

"Um, sure. Who is she? What does she look like?"

"Her name's Elsa Arendal. Gorgeous blonde girl in a wheelchair. Can't miss her."

Tooth laughed. "I'll definitely keep an eye out."

Jack hung up, keeping his fingers crossed that Tooth could find Elsa sometime during the day. Preferably before lunchtime.

* * *

Elsa sat in class, listening and taking notes while doing her best to mask her annoyance.

She loved school, she really did. But of all the classes she had so far, this had to be her least favorite. Due to the accident three years ago, months of recovering in the hospital and rehab during her freshman year made her miss some core classes. She had to take them later, in addition to upper-level classes and electives she had now. The problem wasn't being the only junior among freshmen. It was the instructor: Dr. Weselton. To Elsa, his political science class was a necessary evil to be endured in order to graduate.

His nickname was the Duke of Weselton, because of his pompous nature and the fact he earned his Ph. D from Duke University. But sometimes Elsa wondered if he really did go to Duke. From what she had been hearing on campus, she wasn't alone in this speculation. A more common nickname for him was Dr. Weasel Town. Elsa wouldn't be surprised if he did in fact weasel his way up the ladder of academia.

"Today I'm passing back your graded essays," Dr. Weselton declared. "Starting with students in the front row. Come on, hurry up."

His snappy voice always reminded Elsa of a small, angry dog. Students would fill most of the class by the time Elsa showed up, so she often sat at the back row. Dr. Weselton made a show of tapping his foot impatiently as Elsa finally worked her way up to the front.

He seemed to take glee in looking down on someone shorter than him for a change. It would be different if Elsa could stand. She really didn't like his condescending glare, as if she shouldn't be capable of intelligence. That was one of the few things Elsa hated about being wheelchair-bound: being treated as if she was mentally deficient. Thankfully, in a college environment, indignity or anger at such treatment didn't arise in her too often. But Dr. Weselton seemed quite capable of pushing her buttons.

There were some days when she just wanted to ice him over. But not today; at least he wasn't stupid enough to flunk her for no reason. Elsa looked with amusement at the small, almost unreadable A on her paper, as if he was loath to admit it.

Dr. Weselton droned on about an upcoming exam for a few more minutes, then it was time to go. Elsa would've politely waited to let the freshmen leave class. But when it came to Weselton, she wanted to be the first one out.

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the worst was over. Her next class was a considerable distance away. She stopped at the quad, the midway point, to rest her aching arms.

Then a light tap on the shoulder startled her. She jerked her head round to see a petite young woman dressed in brightly colored clothes. Her spiked hair was dyed in streaks of bright green and pink, though Elsa assumed from her ethnic descent that it must be naturally black.

"Excuse me, are you Elsa Arendal?" the young woman asked.

Elsa tried to recover from her surprise. "Y-yes, I am."

"I thought so. Jack told me about you. You're so beautiful!"

From Elsa's experience, that kind of remark usually came off as one of politeness and pity. But she could tell that this was genuine. Her pale cheeks flushed at the compliment.

"Thank you...and who might you be?"

The young woman made a wry chuckle. "I could tell you my real name, but you might just hurt yourself from trying to say it. My parents, and Thai people in general, just love long names. I used to want to be a dentist, and all my friends say I'm like a pixie. So I guess I'm a sort of tooth fairy. You can just call me Tooth…everyone does."

Elsa quickly grew fond of her. She _did_ remind her of a tooth fairy. "How do you know Jack?"

"We have some art classes together, but we go back through high school too. Were you on your way to class before I stopped you?"

Elsa nodded. "I'm in no hurry, though."

Still, Tooth looked flustered. "I'm so sorry. I came because Jack wants to exchange numbers with you...if you're okay with it, of course."

Elsa reassured her with a warm smile as she handed Tooth her phone. "It's perfectly fine. I owe him."

"Ooh, sounds like the beginning of a very interesting story." Then Tooth pouted a little. "But I guess it'll have to wait. Which building are you off to?"

"The Fine Arts hall."

"Hey, I have class there too! Want me to take you?" Tooth flashed a look of concern at the bandages on Elsa's arms.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

Tooth handed Elsa back her phone and took her across the quad, steering with the handles of her wheelchair. Elsa relaxed and leaned back. "You must be taking the special BFA program if you have classes on both campuses," she remarked.

"You guessed right! My schedule's a little crazy, but it all works out. Give me lots of coffee and energy drinks, and I'm good to go."

Elsa chuckled. "You sound a bit like my sister."

When Tooth and Elsa arrived at the Fine Arts hall, they parted ways by shaking hands.

"It was very nice to meet you, Elsa!" Tooth beamed. Then she added, "Your hand's cold, like Jack's. Speaking of Jack, he'd be so relieved to know that I got to see you." She leaned in and whispered, "Don't tell him I told you…but he meant to ask for your number and totally forgot."

Elsa laughed. "It's okay. I should've asked earlier and I forgot too."

Tooth sprinted upstairs to her class, leaving Elsa alone to her growing apprehension as she could only think of one thing: this was her first class of the day with Pitch Black. Long, dark-haired and lean, Pitch cut an intimidating figure. He would listen to the professor lecturing in the way Elsa had always seen him: with unblinking eyes and long chin resting on steepled fingers. She tried to suppress a shudder when his yellow eyes shifted to see her enter the classroom.

"Remember, your thesis paper is due next week," the instructor said toward the end of class. "I expect excellent work...especially from you, Elsa. I look forward to reading what you have to say."

Elsa shrank a little in her chair, sensing Pitch's acidic glare without even turning to look. She got no joy out of the professor's praise, only embarrassment of being put in the spotlight. Again.

When class ended, Elsa wheeled up to the professor as he cleaned the board. She cleared her throat. "Sir...may I ask you a favor?"

"Anything, Miss Arendal. What can I do for you?"

"I...I prefer that you not talk about me during class."

He turned around in surprise. "Why not, dear? Your intellectual insight and work ethic is an inspiration to us all. You're one of the brightest students I've had in years, Elsa. And that's saying a lot, considering the caliber of this school and the time I've been teaching here. You'll go on to do great things, I know it. You have so much potential."

Elsa tried to mention Pitch, but had difficulty figuring out what she was going to say. Finally she sighed and said, "I appreciate you feeling that way, sir. It's just...I feel very uncomfortable when you let everyone know."

The professor looked deeply apologetic. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way. Of course I'll respect your wishes."

Elsa sighed with relief. "Thank you, sir."

He winked. "I'll still see an A paper from you, yes?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I'll do my best."

Elsa had been having classes with some of the same people for three years now, but she hardly knew them. Granted, they didn't have much of a chance to talk amongst themselves while professors gave lectures. But as soon as class would end, Elsa saw them gather into little groups and go have fun somewhere off campus.

Not surprisingly, Elsa took longer than most to pack up and leave class. She had to turn around for her backpack hanging behind her chair, a feat that made her bruises really hurt. The second to leave was always a Filipino guy, who would stay behind to hold the door open for her before he left himself.

When she finished talking with the professor, she was surprised to see him still standing outside and holding the door.

'He seems nice,' she thought. 'Maybe I should get to know him better.'

Elsa had always given him a quiet and polite "thank you," but their interaction never went beyond that. She could change that today.

"Thank you. Miko, is it?"

"Yeah." He looked surprised for a second.

She remembered Anna once telling her: "Starting a conversation might seem scary to you, but often times the other person feels the same way. Don't be afraid to take the first step!"

Elsa fought back the jitters in her stomach. "Wherever you and your friends are going to hang out...you mind if I come along?"

His smile faded and he looked visibly uncomfortable. "Um...we always go play basketball after this class, so..."

Elsa looked down at her wheelchair. Her useless legs. "Oh. Sorry I asked."

Miko looked torn between guilt and pity. Suddenly Elsa felt foolish for mustering her courage like that. She tried to put his guilt at ease.

"I just want to let you know that I've always been grateful for you holding the door. Don't feel bad."

He managed a little smile after hearing that. "No problem. Have a good day, Elsa."

"You too. Have fun."

Though Miko did nothing to offend her, she couldn't help but feel dismayed. This was why she preferred to be alone. Being alone by choice hurt a lot less than trying to be with others, only to get excluded in some way or another. In the end though, she'd much rather stay out of the way than be in the way. The last thing she wanted was to feel like unwanted baggage.

Then Elsa thought of Tooth giving her Jack's number. Keeping Anna's advice in mind once more, she called up his number.

* * *

Jack took a break between his classes by pulling up the Facebook app on his phone.

'Why didn't I think of it earlier? I could just look her up on here.'

But when he typed her name in the search bar, nothing came up. He found Anna Arendal, though. They had met before, so Jack saw no harm in sending her a friend request. The amount of friends she had was staggering. He wondered how many of them were people she actually knew. He let out a small chuckle when his request was accepted mere seconds later.

Then his phone buzzed. A text from Tooth…with Elsa's number! He broke out into a wide grin. So Tooth's mission was a success, after all. And just when he thought his day couldn't get any better, his phone buzzed again, signaling an incoming call from Elsa.

"Um…hello, Jack?"

"Hey, Elsa."

He heard her breathe a sigh of relief. "I was just calling to make sure I got the right number."

"Tooth did her job right. So yes, you did." Suddenly he felt his tongue thick in his mouth as he tried to get out the words. "I wanted to get in touch with you, and I was just about to call when you beat me to it. Listen, um…I was wondering, you know, if you're not busy…Are you?" He cringed at how idiotic he must sound over the phone.

"No, I'm out of class now. What is it, Jack?"

"You want to have lunch with me?" Jack tried to push what Bunny had said to the back of his mind. 'It's not a date…it's not a date…I just met her yesterday.'

Her voice was light with happy surprise. "S-sure. I'd love that."

His heart beat faster. "How about I meet you at a Philly cheesesteak place on your campus? I mean, there's gotta be one, right?"

He heard her laugh over the phone. "Yes, there is."

"Cool beans. I'll see you soon, then."

No sooner than he hung up, Jack wanted to slap a palm to his forehead. 'Cool beans? Really? Now she must think I'm a dork.'

Why was he so worked up over this? It was just a…he couldn't think of the word for it. Not-a-date?


	3. Phillies and Pizza

**Broken and Beloved (3)****  
****Phillies and Pizza**

"You don't sound like a freshman," Elsa said.

Jack cocked an eyebrow. "I don't?" He let out a light chuckle. "I get that a lot."

Warmed by sunlight dappled by the treetop above, the two sat in content with their half-finished sandwiches. The clouds had dispersed and the sun had come out by noon, a rare occurrence in Philadelphia. Jack and Elsa didn't want to miss out on the good weather. After buying cheesesteaks, they lounged by a coffee table and under a large oak tree.

Despite her serene appearance, inside Elsa was shaking and close to sweating. She was so afraid of getting tongue-tied and saying something stupid. Socializing was Anna's forte, not her's.

She didn't know what possessed her to make that comment about him. Maybe she didn't expect such a deep voice to come out of a baby-faced guy like Jack.

His mother had always taught him that it was rude to stare, especially when it came to gawking at disabled people, but Jack couldn't take his eyes off of her. Elsa carried herself with a delicate elegance, coming off distant and aloof but not haughty. He had watched her taking the time to spread a napkin over her lap before she took a bite from her sandwich. Noticing little things like that only made him admire her more.

Nervous as she was, Elsa enjoyed Jack's company. She couldn't remember the last time she ate lunch with someone. It was the only meal she ate on campus; breakfast and dinner were always at home with Anna. Usually Elsa would keep to herself, munching on something light and reading a book to pass the time.

"Thank you for suggesting cheesesteaks," Elsa said. "This is embarrassing, but...until now, I've never had cheesesteak before. I'm not much of a sandwich person, but you make me want to go back for more sometime." She smiled at him. "I guess I have an excuse, though. I wasn't born here."

"Oh, you weren't? Where did you come from, then?"

"I was born and raised in Norway, until I was eight and my family came over here."

Jack's eyes flew wide. "Wow, Norway? That's so cool." He leaned forward with interest. "Say something in Norwegian."

Elsa stared back at him, lost for a moment.

"No, I'm not the kind of guy that asks for swear words in different languages," he said with a laugh. "Just say hi or something."

"Um..._hallo, mitt nvan er Elsa_."

She bit her lip and flushed as Jack looked very impressed. "Man, I wish I was fluent in more than one language," he said wistfully. "American public schooling leaves much to be desired. I can maybe name like, five colors in Spanish." He shrugged. "Recently I've been learning some Russian from a friend named North, and a pinch of Thai from Tooth. But honestly, I don't think they'll be much use here in America."

"I feel the same with Norwegian," she replied. "I've been doing my best to hold onto it. Anna doesn't know as much anymore...I think it reminds her too much of our parents..."

Jack took a bite out of his cheesesteak and tilted his head questioningly. "You miss home?"

She shrugged and made a little smile. "It's been a long time since I've been back. I liked it there, and it was lovely. But I don't feel a particularly strong tug in my heart to go back. My father wanted to be at the center of American history, and that's why we moved here. I've been living in Pennsylvania for most of my life. What about you?"

"Oh, me? My story's nowhere near as exciting as yours. I grew up in Burgess, with a single mom and a little sister. It's a tiny town, a couple of hundred miles from Philly. Don't feel bad if you don't know. Trust me, nobody knows about Burgess."

Elsa smiled. "Well, now I know. It must be nice and cozy in Burgess. I came from a small town in Norway, too...I can appreciate the kind of life there."

"Yeah, you get my drift."

When Jack didn't say anymore, Elsa tried to strike up another conversation, but was at a loss with how to do just that. Then she remembered that he was a freshman. "Um…How do you like college so far?"

"Hmm...well, for one thing, I'm really glad I don't have to take math anymore." He gave her an apologetic glance and rubbed his head sheepishly. "No offense, if you happen to like math. But I'm fully convinced that I'm allergic to numbers and equations. There's a lot more freedom in college; I think that's my favorite part about it. I can take whatever classes I want, and my schedule's a lot more flexible. Public school wasn't like that. I had no say in getting the most out of my education, and that was sort of a stinker. I guess I'm grateful for one thing: I was forced to take the boring classes and came away knowing I didn't want to do them anymore in college."

Elsa shook her head. "I can't even imagine being in public school. It must be so hectic."

He was intrigued. "Oh, were you homeschooled?"

She made a soft laugh. "It must be obvious, huh?"

Jack liked the sound of her laugh among many other things. "Yeah, I can kind of tell." The way she dressed and carried herself gave it away. It was amazing how cute she looked even without makeup. So far he had only seen her with conservative clothes and her hair tied in a bun.

"I've been in public schools all my life," Jack said. "Must be nice to be homeschooled."

Elsa nodded. "I loved it. My parents have always been very protective and nurturing." She couldn't tell him the true extent of why they had acted that way. She went on: "They taught me and Anna everything they felt I needed to know. I never really made any friends, though...Anna was all I needed. I'm not sure if I could say the same for her. Ever since she became a freshman in college, she's been such a social butterfly."

"People change."

"I feel like I haven't really changed." Elsa stared down at her hands. "I always keep to myself. I'm never really good around people."

"I haven't known you very long, but I really appreciate the way you listen to me. My friends and I always like to argue and have food fights. Sure, it's fun, but it's nice to just sit down and have a little chat for a change." He beamed at her. "I like having you around."

Elsa felt her face grow warm again as he said that. "Y-you do?"

"Of course. We need to do this more often."

A great gust of wind whipped up, pulling at their hair and making the leaves rattle above them. "Winter's coming up soon," Jack remarked as he casually brushed his white hair back in place. "But I don't mind. The cold never bothered me much."

"It's my favorite season," Elsa said with a soft smile.

Jack's eyes lit up. "You too? I _love_ winter!" His fondness for her increased by exponential proportions. He could talk to her for hours if he wanted. But as he glanced at his watch, his heart sunk. "Yikes, I gotta go. Only crazy people sign up for classes starting at noon."

Elsa grinned. "That makes two of us. I have a class, too." A small part of her felt satisfied as he chuckled at her remark. She began to fold up the crumb-littered napkin on her lap.

"Here, I'll throw that away for you," Jack said.

As he reached out to get the napkin, their fingers brushed for a moment. Just like back in the clinic, the brief touch felt electrifying. "Th-thank you..." Elsa managed to say.

"No problem." Jack balled up their trash and made an underhand toss into a nearby bin. He grinned at her. "I'll see you around, Elsa. Take care of yourself."

Still a little dazed by his touch, she could only smile back and wave before he turned and rushed back to his school.

Her fingers flitted to her cheek, just checking to make sure her head hadn't exploded from sheer heat. She watched him run down the path, though she could've sworn it looked like he was flying instead.

* * *

Jack felt like soaring, practically weightless as he sprinted back. 'Elsa loves winter...just like me! Everyone thinks it's a time of doom and gloom...but she'd understand me. She totally gets it.'

Once he got to his next class, Jack knew exactly what he wanted to draw.

The latest assignment called for everyone to move out of their comfort zones. Not completely, but just enough to poke around at other subjects and mediums. Freshman year was about experimentation, after all.

Like with all big art projects, making rough concept sketches was the first step. Jack opened up his sketchbook and went straight to work. He made his lines loose and gestural, resisting the temptation to add more onto his drawings of Elsa. His instructor always told him that rough sketches were like puppies at a pet store. It's easy to get attached to puppies and not get anywhere beyond adoring them.

'It boils down to picking out just one you feel would be best for you,' Jack thought as he drew. 'That, and having the guts to turn down the rest that don't make the cut. It's the same with drawings.'

"Who's that? The girl of your dreams?"

Jack nearly jumped a mile high and quickly covered his sketches. "Not so loud, Bunny," he hissed. "No, she's not the girl of my dreams."

Bunny, who sat across from Jack, leaned back in his chair and chortled. "Sure, mate."

Funny how Bunny had worded that. Elsa _did_ appear in Jack's dream, after all. But he wasn't going to tell that to his friend in a hurry.

"We're supposed to draw something different, right? I don't usually draw people, so that's what I'll do for this assignment."

Bunny peered at what little he could see between Jack's fingers on the paper. "That's Elsa, isn't it? A real beauty, I'd say, from the looks of it."

Jack tried to change the subject as he slyly glanced over at his friend's doodles. "I know it's tempting, Bunny, but you can't draw Easter eggs all the time."

Bunny sighed. "I know...I guess I'll make North happy by doing something Christmas-themed this time around." He patted Jack's shoulder. "I'll leave you to drawing your girl, then."

He slipped his headphones back on, frowning at his sketchbook in concentration as his foot made rhythmatic taps on the floor.

Jack worked on his sketches for a few more minutes. After picking out one he liked, Jack took out his Bristol paper, opening to the first blank sheet. He decided to work with Prismacolor pencils. His brow furrowed as he stared at the white page, as he tried to picture it in its final layout.

'She told me that winter was her favorite season...' He tried to remember this as the drawing began to mentally unfold in his head.

His hand hovered and flitted over the page as he lightly hatched in construction lines. Even at its rough stage, he wanted to get it just tight. Elsa's perfect likeness and figure. Then he began to block in colors with broad strokes of his chiseled pencils. Snow was always tricky; to give form to the negative space, other colors had to be used wisely. Jack liked the challenge; it was his favorite subject to draw.

He drew Elsa sitting in her wheelchair, with a light smile on her lips and eyes almost closed in content as she tilted her head to the sky, one hand resting on her lap and the other outstretched to touch newly fallen snow. The wheelchair itself was just an outline framing her, partially faded by atmospheric depth and the soft snow. He wanted Elsa to stand out, not the wheelchair she was bound to.

Just as he thought he was on a roll, Jack hit a road block. He was stuck on her hair. He really wanted to draw Elsa with her hair down. The problem is, he had never seen her with it. He spent the next few minutes hunched over his drawing, tapping his pencil on his chin and mentally agonizing over the hair dilemma. To his embarrassment, he had no choice but to leave that space blank.

Still, it didn't detract from his overall excitement. Jack had been dreading this assignment before. Now he was looking forward to every minute of doing it.

* * *

Anna helped Elsa into the car after classes were over. Doing that for 3 years gave Anna a strong pair of arms. Elsa could trust that her sister would never drop her. She remember during the first year she'd apologize profusely to Anna for giving her so much trouble.

And Anna would always say, "Oh it's fine, Elsa. You practically weigh next to nothing. Plus, I need the exercise."

Elsa stared through the window, content and lost in her thoughts as Anna drove the car.

"Sooo, how was your day...?" Anna asked. She looked over and grinned. "Oh, you don't need to tell me. You saw Jack again, didn't you?"

"How did you know?"

Anna shrugged. "Sisterly intuition, I guess. Tell me everything. What did you two talk about?"

Elsa retold her conversation with Jack to the best of her ability.

"Sounds like you two have a lot in common." Anna shot her a sly glance. "Next time will be a date, right?"

Elsa laughed. "Anna, I only just met him the day before. Love doesn't work like that."

"Sure it can." Her little sister pouted, but made no further complaint. She could tell Elsa felt unusually cheerful today, and she was happy for her older sister. It wasn't like her to make friends easily.

Anna was exhausted and didn't feel like cooking dinner when they got home, so she ordered pizza and hit the bed.

Elsa remained in the living room, lounging against the cushions of a chair in front of the TV. A documentary on the construction of the Vietnam War Memorial had her full attention. The architect had been a 21 year old student, just like Elsa, when she undertook the project. It galvanized Elsa with inspiration; at the same time it made her feel strangely inadequate. She remembered her professor telling her how she held much potential.

She briefly took her eyes off the screen to stare down at her open palms. 'I've been concealing my powers all these years...what can I do when I actually let it go? What limits could I break through?'

The doorbell rung. Elsa's head snapped up and she straightened in her seat. She leaned back in her wheelchair to call out her sister's name. "Anna? Anna! Pizza's here!"

Anna stumbled out of her room, her voice thick and slurry with sleep. "Wonderful. I'm starving..." She fumbled for her wallet on the counter and went to answer the door.

A tall, young man with unkempt blonde hair waited outside. With his broad and sturdy physique, he looked like someone more fitted to operate a moving van than deliver pizza. When Anna walked up to him, Elsa could see that he easily towered over her by a head.

Anna took the warm box from him. She sniffed appreciatively as the aroma of pizza wafted from the cracks. "Thanks for the pizza!" she said. Then she tilted her head and furrowed her brow as she peered up at him. "I think I've seen you before. Don't you go to Drexel?"

"Yeah. Strange how you remember."

"Were you one of those guys who helped move stuff during freshmen orientation?"

He shrugged. "I hauled out ice and food. Nothing big."

"What's your name? I'm Anna Arendal."

"Kristoff Bjorgman."

Anna flashed him a little smile. "It's good to meet a fellow student." Then when she opened the box, her smile faded and she frowned at him. "Hey, this is pepperoni. I ordered cheese for me and my sister."

Kristoff looked disgruntled. "Look, I'm just the guy who delivers pizza. I don't take orders and I don't make them. Don't shoot the messenger."

Elsa smiled. "Anna, give him a break. It's not a big deal. We can just peel off the pepperoni."

Anna frowned. "But I don't like throwing away unwanted food. Even if I don't want to eat it."

Kristoff rolled his eyes. "If you really don't like pepperoni that much, just put them in a bag and I'll give them to my brother. I've got Sven waiting in the car, and I can't have him alone for long."

"Okay, I'll be quick." Anna dashed into the kitchen with the pizza box. Behind her back, Kristoff rolled his eyes again as he followed her in and shut the door.

Anna slipped on a plastic glove and opened the box. "Wow, you guys _really_ piled up on the pepperoni, huh?"

"You don't have to rub it in."

Elsa suppressed a laugh upon hearing their snarky exchange. She felt slightly uncomfortable at having a stranger in their house, but Kristoff barely spared her a glance.

As soon as Anna finished purging the pizza of pepperoni, Kristoff snatched up the plastic bag and the cash from Anna's hand.

"Thank you!" Elsa called, but he had already left and Anna closed the door.

"Charming, isn't he?" Anna rolled her eyes.

"That was a little odd," Elsa remarked. "Usually you hit it off with boys pretty well."

"I know...maybe he's an exception." Anna frowned thoughtfully. "Kristoff Bjorgman…I think I've heard rumors about him. People say he's a little weird. He doesn't make any friends and just hangs out with Sven instead." Anna lowered her voice to a whisper, despite Elsa being the only one around. "I think his little brother is severely autistic...he's not capable of intelligible speech. Kristoff's _really_ protective of him. He got into a fight last week when some jerk made fun of Sven. I think that's how I heard about Kristoff."

"That's sweet."

"What? Kristoff knocking the teeth out of that guy? You're hilarious, Elsa."

"No, I meant it's sweet how close Kristoff and Sven are. One sibling looking after the disabled one, just like us." Elsa looked down at her fragile legs. "I can't do anything on my own."

Anna's smile faded as she regarded her sister seriously. "Sure, you can. You got into a really good school all by yourself, without any of my help. You tell me that a lot of your teachers have faith in you. I've seen your works and they're amazing." She wrapped her arms around Elsa's shoulders. I know you don't have legs to stand on anymore, but you're gonna go far, Elsa. I believe in you."

Elsa gratefully returned the hug. "Sorry for moping. We have a pizza to eat before it gets cold."

They watched the rest of the documentary together as they ate, though Anna was more focused on inspecting her pizza slice for any sign of pepperoni. She looked pensive as she stared past the TV screen. "Now that I think about it…if someone ever put you down, I'd knock him out, too."

Elsa turned to give her a half amused, half sad look. "You almost did, remember?"

"Hmm? What do you mean-?" Then Anna's face darkened at the thought. "Oh. Now I remember."

Elsa was referring to that one time she and Anna were relaxing at a park, and some homeless bum curled up on a bench had the nerve to spit in Elsa's direction and call her a retard under his stinking breath. Elsa barely heard it, and she wished she hadn't. It cut her deep like a knife. Anna heard it, too. She got so mad and riled up that she bodily seized him by his patchy trenchcoat and threatened to punch him in the face.

"What did you just call my sister? I dare you to say that in her face, asshole!"

Startled by her vehement reaction, Elsa tried to put a restraining hand on her sister's arm. "Anna, it's fine…just let it go…"

"No, Elsa. This is _not_ okay." Anna looked close to crying. "I won't let anyone get away with insulting my sister. I'm gonna teach this guy a lesson." She raised her voice as she shouted down the startled man. "I'd bet all 4 years worth of my college tuition that my sister's a thousand times smarter and nicer than you! You think calling her a retard's gonna make your sorry situation any better? "

"Please, Anna," Elsa pleaded. "You're making a scene. I don't want this to get any worse. Let's just go home."

Anna had given the homeless man the most frightening, withering glare before she finally pushed him back onto the bench and wheeled Elsa out of the park. It wasn't until they got home that Elsa started to break down and cry, both hurt by the man's insult and moved by her sister's quickness to defend her.

Anna gripped the back handles of her sister's wheelchair and pulled her in close so she could rest her head on Elsa's shoulder. "I'll always be there for you. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to tell me."

Oh, how she wished she could. Elsa wanted to tell Anna about Pitch, but more than that she didn't want to drag her little sister into her mess. She didn't want Anna to get hurt, too.

'It's okay…when it comes to Pitch, I have Jack.'

Later that night, after she made finishing touches to her thesis paper, Elsa stayed up late to text Jack. She would've called him over the phone if Anna wasn't sleeping next door.

He had texted her first after dinner, saying again how he really liked having lunch with her. Elsa sat in bed, staring at her phone and trying to come up with a reply. She was briefly distracted as she inspected her legs. The bruises now took on a yellowish color. They looked ugly, but at least she was healing. She'll never forget what Jack did for her that day, standing up for her when she couldn't.

Finally she typed, "Since you came over to my school, next time I can visit yours. Maybe sit in one of your classes...?" She held her breath as she sent the text.

Jack had been lounging on his bed and doodling in his notebook. Elsa hadn't answered in a while, but then his phone buzzed on the nightstand and made him jolt.

He broke into a wide grin as he read her reply. He eagerly typed back: "Sure! That would be awesome. You can check out more of my drawings that way." Jack wasn't going to tell her about his current project just yet. It would be a surprise. He had to find some way to ask about her hair, though.


End file.
